The Night is Darkest
by Naomi Takamura
Summary: OC WARNING! But I do make pretty awesome OCs... The races of Hyrule have begun to vanish, about the same time a mysterious young girl appears atop the Great Bridge of Hylia. Perhaps the two are connected?
1. Gone

_Chapter no. :_ 1  
_Chapter title: _Gone  
_Story rating:_ T (for now)  
_BETAed:_ Not BETAed - if anyone's willing, drop me a line  
_Disclaimer:_ Me no own Zelda. I mean, come on - how stupid are you? If I did own Zelda, it would contain much swearing, blood, sex and rock'n'roll. And Yaoi. Don't forget the luffly yaoi. But since I don't own it, I have to settle for entertaining you guys with my stories and OCs - which is fine by me.  
_Warnings: _Not any at the moment. Apart from the blood. I'll get more descriptive as time goes on, but for now, it's really nothing unless you faint at the sight of a dead ant.  
_Notes: _This is my first Zelda story. Now, I know I'm not that great of a writer, but I'm trying. To write is to practice to write, right? I just hope this goes well.  
___Totally irrelevant quote of the update:  
_**"I don't believe in bad luck, but I do subscribe to the theory of horribly inconvenient coincidences."**

* * *

Epona always spoke to me. Despite the fact that she, being a horse, could not actually talk, I could understand what she was thinking as if they were words floating above her head. I always thought I could read all horses fairly well; setting aside the fact that other than Epona, I'd only met one horse.

Only after Epona had been killed by an Archer Bulblin, who had quickly lost its own life, and I got a new mount (which I named Shade) did I realise I knew nothing about communicating with horses. Shade tended to directly and intentionally ignore me, despite my best efforts in gaining her trust and affections. I tried giving her carrots, letting her graze whenever I wasn't in need of her assistance, petting her often…but nothing worked. She refused to eat the carrots, which had been Epona's favorite food, rolled instead of grazed, which Epona never did, and merely walked away when I began petting her. She also wouldn't answer to Epona's Song, which was understandable, seeing as she was a different horse, but still, the fact broke my heart.

So, realizing that it was high time I set out to learn to understand Shade better, as well as the world, I watched everything intently along my travels. I watched Shade's ears and made sure to feel how she walked, I watched the Bulblins as they fell from cliffs, pushed by another laughing at the top, and I watched and listened to the rest of the world. One thing I noticed was that Shade was nearly opposite Epona. She hated carrots, didn't like being petted, and actually preferred rolling to grazing. Epona had always been spotless due to the simple fact she never touched dirt.

But something stranger yet I discovered was the young girl that sat atop the stone arch that stood proudly over one end of the Great Bridge of Hylia, her legs dangling precariously over the edge. A large bow sat at her side and a quiver hung from her back, renewing magically if she ever ran out of arrows. She wore her golden-brown hair cropped short, layered, and only just hitting the bottom of her pointed ears. A long, lavender skirt gave way to bare feet, and a white blouse covered her top half, showing the extraordinarily prominent lack of cleavage. A rolling plain held more hills than her chest did.

Over the next few weeks as I didn't learn a thing about reading Shade, I noticed the girl's eyes changing. Some days, they were sweet and innocent, reminding me of Ilia's. They were the same shade, too, but a bit more vibrant. Other days, they were mere slits, resonating evil and spite. It seemed, as you traveled under her chosen perch, she was plotting against you. It always sent a shiver down my spine as Shade and I rode past. Yet, on the rare occasion, her eyes were bold and strong, impassive almost. I liked those days least.

Typically, I did my best to ignore the mysterious girl, but sometimes she sparked my interest. After only a few of those times, I decided to figure out what she used the bow for.

I would cross under her, taking note of how her eyes looked so that I didn't observe her too often with the same eyes, and hide behind the rocks that guarded the entrance to her bridge. Shade would be left to roll farther away so she didn't alert the girl to my presence.

The first day I chose to observe her, her eyes gleamed with malevolence and evil. Shade had decided to suddenly vanish, so I crossed the bridge without her, only realizing then how long it was.

From dawn to midday, nothing happened. Never before had I noticed how utterly vacant the bridge was, at least, not until waiting for something to happen. I'll never know how that girl merely sat up there all day, unmoving. Either she had a lot to think about, or she was really bored.

Finally, as the sun passed its zenith, a small form appeared on the horizon, on the far side of the bridge. He was an older man, a fellow of at least fifty years, his age marked by graying hair and deep wrinkles upon his weary face. His blue eyes shone wise and dull.

Just as the innocent old man hit the center of the bridge, directly under the swarm of vulture-like birds, the girl idly raised her bow, pulled an arrow from the quiver, and, without aiming whatsoever, launched the arrow straight into the man's chest. I could only stare with wide eyes, pondering over her reasoning.

I was suddenly grateful she'd never pointed that bow at me, for if she had, I'd be dead, rotting on the bridge. I also wondered _why_ she'd never shot me. Perhaps she knew I was the Hero of Legend, the one fated to save Hyrule from perils beyond compare. Or maybe she had just decided to spare me all those times. Still, why did she kill the man, when he had so much life left?

My answer dropped on me like a stone as the vultures plummeted from the sky in a black cloud, descending upon the corpse hungrily. Within a minute, only bones were left, and a few remained to push the skeleton over the cliff edge.

I made a mental note to, if I ever got the chance, see how large the pile of bones beneath the bridge was.

The next day, her eyes were the same. Shade had returned, but I didn't observe her that day. I already knew what she would do to innocent passerby.

Until her eyes changed, I passed under her every day before taking Shade to the field to practice jumping the tiny brick walls that littered the field some ways away. She would probably never be as good as Epona had been, due to her smaller size and thinner frame. True, she was hardly three years old and still had a tiny bit of growing to do, but even Epona had been larger at the same age.

Even now, I miss my first companion.

Epona had been a Palomino Clydesdale Mare, standing at about seventeen hands. Each 'hand', the unit of measurement used in the horse world, was about four inches. So, all total, she was about sixty-eight inches at the Withers, or shoulders.

Even now, I love how the Master Sword felt in my grip as it slid through the Bulblin's chest, piercing its heart, and as I turned it, pushing it in to the hilt and out through the beast's back, ripping one of the most vital organs in a body to shreds.

I love how its blood felt as it soaked through my boots.

Even now, I miss Epona, and I would give even Shade to have her back.

But back to the point.

Shade was only sixteen hands, about sixty-four inches. She was a thin, Black Sabino Warlander with a crest-shaped snip on her forehead. It's still a good thing she's not White, because if she was, she'd have turned permanently brown with all the dirt from her rolling habit.

Finally, after over a week, the girl's eyes were different. They were sweet and loving this time, a stark contrast to the previous setting.

I assumed my position, hiding in the shadows after dropping Shade far away, and readied myself for a long day of watching.

The sun bore down on me with a distinct lack of cloud cover to hinder the heat it gave off. I would be burnt to a crisp by the end of the day.

Two small caravans of supplies to aid Kakariko, seeing as Death Mountain had recently erupted and the civilians were in dire need of help, passed separately before mid-morning. The girl merely watched them with gleeful eyes.

Long after the sun's zenith, when clouds had finally covered the sun and prevented my skin from burning any further, a young man with a brisk pace and a small rapier at his side stepped onto the far end of the bridge, stopping shortly after and pulling out a large map. He seemed puzzled, unfamiliar with the territory.

I had to admit- Hyrule Field could be tiresomely irritating if you didn't know it well. I _still_ get lost sometimes.

The girl was watching him intensely, no longer idly swinging her legs back and forth over the edge of the arch as she had been for the past few hours.

Soon, his face lit up in realization, obviously seeing that he was on the right track, and he continued over the bridge.

Just as the ill-fortuned young man stepped below the swarm of vulture-like beasts, three dropped from the sky, ready to tear him limb from limb for food.

I strongly believed it would be his end, and my Hero's instincts were on full throttle. It took everything in my power to keep myself in the shadows and not run to save the individual.

Again, the girl idly plucked her bow from the stone at her side and notched an arrow. She let it fly, but instead of piercing the heart of the birds' prey, one of said birds dropped to the ground, its eyes wide and glazed over in cold death, an arrow protruding from its chest. Despite the fact that it had been meaning to harm the young man and often myself, I couldn't help but feel bad for the beasts as she let two more arrows fly. Even the daftest of species had feelings, I realised as the rest of the flock crowded around the three dead birds, keening out in mournful tones and pitches.

Soon, though, still crying with grief, they began to nudge the bodies over the bridge's edge as they had done the bones so many days before. I have no words to describe how shocked I was at the sight, as I vowed to never kill one of that type of bird again.

Seeing the girl, her arrows, and the dead birds, the young man connected the dots, his face sinking into a grimace or horror, believing whole-heartedly that she'd been aiming at him. With a terrified whine, he dashed the final few meters to the rest of the field, nearly dropping his map in his fright.

A spider crawled, unnoticed, into my tunic. Only once I felt the little feet catching on my skin did I realise it was there.

Not exactly fond of spiders, I bit back a squeak of alarm and quickly turned around, purposefully ramming my back into the wall, effectively crushing the tiny bug. But after a moment of contemplation, my mood dropped slightly as I saw how daft of an idea that had been, seeing as I'd have to clean the smashed spider off my lower back.

Still, a dead spider was better than a living one.

It rained the next day.

The girl's eyes were at my least favorite setting, and she didn't seem to mind the torrential downpour that could soak even the thickest wad of clothing through in an instant. I was sure even my _chainmail_ had become soggy, nomatter how impossible that was.

The sun had effectively hidden behind a wall of dark grey clouds that covered every inch of blue sky, giving Hyrule Field an air of death and mourning.

Claps of thunder only added to the music the pouring rain had created, flashes of light becoming the visual entertainment of the day.

The girl atop the bridge didn't move an inch all day, nomatter who crossed and who was attacked by the crow-like birds.

As time passed ever so slowly and the clouds didn't move an inch, the idea of jumping off the bridge with a cuccoo crossed my mind multiple times. But the lake below would be cold and my Zora Tunic was torn. Had I jumped in regardless of the two factors, I would be more likely than not dead within a few minutes. I'd never been the best swimmer without the specially-made tunic given to me by the late Queen Rutella.

Night came, and it dawned on me that she wouldn't move at all that day. I decided I'd spent too much time watching her, and it was time to continue on, despite my curiosity. I would travel up to Death Mountain to visit the Gorons to see how they were faring in the time of peace.

The Zoras were recovering well from the loss of their queen- I'd visited them less than a month ago. Fish were plentiful again, and their population was quickly growing. They'd discovered new medicines, some even to fight off multiple types of poisons and unique illnesses.

I'd visited Castle Town and Princess Zelda, the new inhabitants of Arbiter's Grounds, even the mildly disturbing 'clowns' of Lake Hylia.

The only ones left were the Gorons and Kakariko.

Kakariko, since it lay at the bottom of the mountain, came first.

I called Shade using a grass horseshoe whistle, waiting over five minutes before the mare realised she was supposed to come to that music, and quickly mounted.

Bulblin after Bulblin became mere remains as Shade trampled them into the dust, leaving their black blood and smashed organs behind us.

Acre after acre of grasses and flowers sped along underneath, creating a green ocean as we flew over it.

Hoofbeat after hoofbeat caught my attention, each carrying the same sound.

Step after step, and I felt my heart cracking. Shade's 'song' was so unlike Epona's.

Eventually, the mare slowed to a trot as we entered Kakariko.

It definitely wasn't the barren town with a mountain and a spring I remembered it being.

People flocked from store to store, creating a massive crowd. Party banners hung from rocks, one at each entrance to the little village, and I had to duck down on Shade to keep from clotheslining myself.

"Link!"

Someone called my name from near the hotel. Even amid all the mixed voices, I knew it to be Renado, Kakariko's famed shaman.

Grateful as I was to see him, the only drawback of announcing my presence as such is that it drew others' attention. Soon, I had a large flock of people around me, desperate to get to touch the Chosen Hero.

Oh, the woes of being famous.

A wide smile on his face, Renado cleared a path in the crowd, and, noticing Shade was on the verge of fleeing, lead my black-pinto horse into his home.

Glad to be free of that swamping mass of people, I dismounted Shade and let her out, seeing as she was begging at the door like a dog would. She quickly raced through the crowd, running for the hills and Hyrule Field, where there would be grass to roll in. People screamed as they jumped out of the way of the rampaging horse. I grinned in apology as they rushed to the door to swamp me once again.

It was shut in their faces.

Renardo handed me a cup of tea identical to his own and ushered me to sit on the desert-ish couch. He turned towards me, obviously happy to see me. I agreed that it had been far too long.

"So, Link, what brings you here? It strays far from your usual path." Ah, Renado. Quick to the point.

"I wanted to check up on the Gorons, to see how they're faring in peace." Renardo nodded solemnly, and I stopped.

"It pains me to tell you this, but the Gorons no longer reside in the mountain." My jaw dropped as my eyes widened.

"But that mountain has been their home for centuries! Since the Goddesses created the races, they've lived there! Why would they leave?" My grip had tightened on the clay glass.

The proud Goron tribe has always lived in Death Mountain, since long before the age of the Hero of Time, even. They survived on the diamonds created by the lava. Their mines were everything to them, and I could not imagine the Gorons living anywhere else. Such a huge change could possibly upset the balance of nature!

Ok, maybe I was being a bit melodramatic.

Still, nothing could provoke such a drastic move. Where would they go? They ate rocks, for the Goddesses sakes! Where were they to get such a huge supply of food aside Death Mountain?

And the Goron Ruby was still buried, deep inside the mountain's temple, the source of all lava. Who would protect it? Kakariko itself was far too weak to hold such a job, and I refused to stay in the dry, arid climate for too long. Besides, I couldn't stand the mountain. A full week in there when I'd been getting the Fused Shadow for Midna had been enough.

…Midna.

I still missed the little imp. It had been two years since I'd seen her, and two years too long. I wondered how she was. Was she even alive? Perhaps the Twili race had rebelled, and she'd been killed or overthrown?

"Link?" Renardo had snapped me out of my daze, out of my thoughts.

"Hm? Oh, sorry." I shook my head slightly to clear the ideas from my mind. "So, why would they leave?" I suddenly felt stupid, repeating my question. It had been I, after all, who had been lost to his thoughts. Renardo had most likely already answered it, and I was just making a fool of myself. Regardless, he cleared his throat to speak.

"Because they no longer exist."

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**And so it begins.**

**I've decided I'll not make a plotline for this one and just go with the flow, because my flow tends to be fairly creative. My plots, however? Not so much.**

**If I've made any spelling, gramatical, or otherwise errors, feel free to tell me!**

**Please review. If ya do, I may update sooner. :)**


	2. Making Sure

_Chapter no. :_ 2  
_Chapter title: _Making Sure  
_Story rating:_ T (for now)  
_BETAed:_Not BETAed - if anyone'swilling, drop me a line  
_Disclaimer: _Me no own Zelda. I mean, come on - how stupid are you? If I did own Zelda, it would contain much swearing, blood, sex and rock'n'roll. And Yaoi. Don't forget the luffly yaoi. But since I don't own it, I have to settle for entertaining you guys with my stories and OCs- which is fine by me.  
_Warnings: _Not any at the moment. Apart from the blood. I'll get more descriptive as time goes on, but for now, it's really nothing unless you faint at the sight of a dead ant.  
_Notes: _Sorry for the late update. Really, I am. Just a story from tonight for the notes today: my uncle got his and my aunt's dog so drunk it could hardly stand. Lynn put it down and its front legs wouldn't hold. Poor thing did a faceplantand had trouble getting up. It couldn't even walk a straight line and tripped over the simplest of things. I don't think it'll be having beer for awhile.  
___Totally irrelevant quote of the update:  
_**"Remember: If the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off."**

* * *

The news struck me hard, making such an unbelievable idea even more difficult to understand. So, as was expected, I needed proof. I quickly stood and thanked Renardo for his hospitality, and departed. Calling my steed, heart racing despite my calm composure, I began to walk towards the mountain. It was a good ten minute walk, so I was grateful when Shade nudged my back in greeting.

I mounted the tiny mare and kicked her sides, sending her flying. With the grace and finesse of a dying bear, Shade galloped to the mountain entrance, unphased by the massive arch that marked the beginning of the Gorons' territory. She only stopped when the grated Cliffside loomed over us, staring up at it with ears flat, revealing her tiny horns.

Only recently had I discovered how young Shade actually was- hardly old enough to ride- and such a discovery as two tiny, blunt horns beginning to grow just before her ears left me senseless. Not only was she young, but my little mare was definitely _not _a horse. It did, however make me wonder what she actually was. Perhaps she was related to the ancient elk breeds that the Ordon Goats came from. If her horns grey long, sharp, and black, curving like the goats' do, but not quite touching, then she was. If not, then she wasn't. It would be a year or two before they grew in fully, but she'd be beautiful when they did, I was sure of it.

Dismounting silently, out of sudden respect for the race that had supposedly vanished off the face of Hyrule, I hooked my fingers into the metal grating and began to climb. Now, hauling oneself up a steam-heated, metal grating that was attached precariously to the top of a tall, crumbling cliffside was an interesting experience, terrifying if the climber in question had never scaled such a cliff before. Every placing of a hand was dangerous; if you shifted your weight wrong, the whole grating could and would come loose, taking you with it to the ground so far below. Rust coated very nook and cranny of the wiring, some points dangling, the rust having eaten it away until virtually nothing held a section to the rest. I was suddenly grateful for my dumb luck.

Scrabbling onto the cliff edge after the exhausting climb that left my fingers raw and red from rust, I rested to regain my breath for only a short moment before continuing up the mountain. Death Mountain seemed to be stilled, less active than ever before. It was definitely calmer than when I had come in Twilight. Yet, such a fact worried as well as relieved me. I'd be spared from dodging flaming, heated rocks the whole way up the mountain, but it was a _volcano_, for the Goddesses' sakes! It was _supposed_ to send rocks flying every few seconds if only to assure its inhabitants that it was still active and worth mining. Despite this, a large plume of grey-black smoke rose steadily from the mountain's crater, no other signs of eruption issuing forth.

But one question that had always nagged at the back of my mind: what did the Gorons mine for? Diamonds? More rocks? I would probably never know, especially with the fact that they were gone. And although I'd been unable to quite reach the top to get true evidence that they were nonexistant, I could feel it in the air, also taking note the fact that the lumbering beasts had yet to come tumbling down the mountain in hopes of squashing me. Despite their hate for intruders, especially during Twilight, they were just angry-looking peaceful idiots.

Even stranger yet, as I've already mentioned, was the air.

It was cold, but not a physical cold. A creeping sense of death meandered down from the peak, sucking away all spiritual warmth as it went. I'd never felt so…chilled before, as a shiver cruised along my spine. Truth be told, I was scared, and I'd never really been scared of anything aside the ReDeads in Arbiters Grounds before. Now, that may seem fairly childish, but try going up against a six foot decaying _skeleton _with a massive, hooked sword that screams harshly enough to make you cower every time you come near. Each time I killed one, I thanked every God above and below for Bomb Arrows. Bard never earned a thanks, though- I was too caught up in cutting down row upon row of Stalkin.

But I wasn't scared for my life. I was scared for the Gorons, and for Hyrule's other races. What had happened to them? They can't have just vanished into thin air, so where had they gone? Who took them, and would they target the other races as well? Hyrule would become a barren, lifeless wasteland with no Zoras or Kokiri or Hylians.

Even though the Kokiri were just a myth at this point in time, I'd learned two years ago, just after Twilight, that their village lay hidden just beyond the Sacred Grove.

But back to the point.

That chilling-spiritual cold never went away, even as I neared the mountain's peak, the entrance to the heated temple. For the record, that had to be my least favorite Fused Shadow and temple whatsoever. Though, I _did_ love the Hero's Bow.

True to Renardo's word, not a single Goron was to be found. It was like they were an ancient race, having died off long ago, and I was merely exploring the ruins of their civilization. Even so, there were no artifacts to be found, the mountain as deserted as any normal volcano should be.

Heart dully thumping against my ribs, I slid to the ground, propping myself against the mountain's side in order to take it all in. The Gorons were gone; something I had never thought would happen, and so suddenly…

Renardo had said they'd vanished about two weeks ago, which was around the time that mysterious girl appeared atop the Great Bridge of Hylia. Perhaps she was behind this?

Probably not, I decided, pushing myself up from the ground, even after such a short rest, to continue. I would relax in the hot springs for a moment before heading back to Ordon. It had been too long since I was there.

My footsteps were heavy as I trudged further up the mountain, only to look down over the cliff into what would've been the springs, had it not been for the fact that the water was gone, only to be replaced by boiling lava. Whoever disposed of the Gorons had begun to remodel their homeland, it seemed.

Upon returning to Kakariko, sitting atop Shade for fear of being swamped by villagers, I noticed the complete lack of life. It was as if they were never there, and the small population of Kakariko had never changed.

Shrugging the oddness of the situation off, I kicked my mare into a light trot, not bothering to post. It was too difficult for such a casual ride- I didn't even know where I was going- I could only think of getting _away_. Away from the death that encircled Hyrule's only volcano, the stagnant air of Death Mountain. Away from my past travels there, and the temporary friends I made that no longer existed. Perhaps it was some cruel trick by the Goddesses, or an external force. Maybe Ganondorf- no. No. I ran that bastard through with my sword two years ago. He was dead and gone- there was no way he could be behind this.

I don't even remember dismounting Shade. All I can recall of the next few –minutes? Hours? whatever the timespan was- let's say minutes- was beginning to cross the bridge, and suddenly, I'm waking up with that strange girl's face hovering over me and a migraine- like the sun had been squeezed into my head. It's not hard to imagine- Zelda always says there's a lot of empty space in there.

"Finally- he's awake!" she murmured, evidently aware that my head was pounding in time with my heart. Her voice chimed like tinkling bells over a lucid lake deep in the mountains. "Artag, get Guhnam and some water. Hurry, please!"

As my head cleared up, I began to notice that I was still on the bridge, but no Guays circled above me. The girl was surprisingly short of arrows.

"How are you feeling?"

I blinked a few times, puzzled by her question momentarily, before it clicked in my head. "Fine, aside the headache." I was shocked by how my voice sounded- rough and gravelly, as if it hadn't been used in days. "How long was I out?"

"Only an hour or two," came the response, accompanied by a gentle smile.

Without warning, she sprung to her feet and leaned over the bridge's edge. "Artag! Where's that water?" she shouted, leaving me to cover my ears as to not increase the intensity of my headache.

Shortly after she called to the lake below, one of the Kargarocs found in Hyrule Field's many sections lighted on the bridge not two feet from me, wings tucked in, a water pail hanging from its ragged beak. My eyes widened as I attempted to sit up and back away, but my limbs wouldn't obey. The fine coating of pebbles and dust on the stone bridge caused my hands to slip as I scrabbled away.

With a firm yet gentle hand pressed on my chest, she held me still. My breathing had sped up a bit, and I was frantically looking for my sword, as it wasn't on my back.

"This is Artag, a Kargaroc. He's a friend, as is Guhnam, this little Guay here," she explained, pointing to the massive bird and then the smaller one that was perched on her shoulder. They screeched at me in unison. The Kargaroc's right wing bore a large hole, ragged, as though impaled by something blunt and large. Guhnam, the Guay, displayed a long, white scar in sharp contrast to his charcoal plumage. It extended from his beak, winding to the back of his head, and twisting to come down and end at his chest. The feathers there were a bleached white. "Artag brought water. You're dehydrated, and that's why you passed out. It's also why you have such a headache."

I nodded numbly, hardly registering her words as the vulture-like creature dropped a pale brown bucket of water at the girl's side. Reaching for it like a pleading child, I could only watch as she pulled a small flask from the leather belt slung loosely over her hips, dipping low on one side- the side with all her equipment. After pouring an unknown red substance into the bucket- only a few drops, mind you- she handed it to me. The whole thing. Apparently, she thought I could drink from a wooden bucket with ease. Maybe she could- she'd be the first I knew of, though.

Setting the thought of the added liquid aside, be it poison or otherwise, I dipped virtually my whole face in the bucket and drank in long gulps. This earned me a quick 'love-tap' over the top of my head, causing me to flinch and pull out of the water.

"Slow down or you'll make yourself sick," she growled, not seeming to care so much for my health as the cleanliness of her bridge. "For all you know, I could've added poison or blood to that water. Don't you ever stop to think for a moment?" She didn't get a response- I'd continued drinking the instant she began to speak, nearing the middle-point of the bucket. It suddenly seemed so small.

Sitting back and folding her arms over a flat chest (I could hardly tell she was female by those anatomical features, though it would be rude to look), she glared at me. "It was an herbal medicine. Tastes horrible, so I only gave you a few drops," she drawled. "Hopefully it'll help with your headache."

I nodded slightly, doing my best to keep the upper half of my face out of the water- everyone knows how unpleasant it is to breathe water, and I could only use my nose right then.

She stood, snapped her fingers once. The massive bird, 'Artag', ascended with three beats of its leathery wings. In an instant, it latched sickle-like claws around her outstretched arms and lifted her. Sitting back up on that bridge, she scowled at me, soft, sunny demeanor gone as thought it had never been there, probably hoping I would be gone soon and she could resume whatever it was that she did all day. Guhnam perched on her shoulder, watching his lack of flock from afar.

Bulblins stood guard on the other side, haphazard bows, more likely to fire backwards than spontaneously combust, hanging from their four-fingered hands. In their care, wooden and otherwise items often burst into flames for no reason at all, even if they were drenched. I once watched a Bulblin and his companions screech and flail, some laughing, as another ran in panicked circles, a moving column of flames, licking upwards as though consuming a torch. They really are the dumbest of creatures. It often surprises me that they have the brains to even communicate, let alone create weapons and plans. Like how they trapped me on that bridge via oil lit on either side, Midna on my back. Boy, was she angry after landing in Lake Hylia.

Compliant to the girl's (I still didn't know her name) wishes, I called Shade with a hollow whistle and waited. And waited. And waited. After a good ten minutes of merely standing there, the girl behind me on her stone arc hardly suppressing mocking giggles, Artag squawking noisily beside her, I slumped my shoulders and began the long _walk_ across the bridge.

Night laid its starry glow over the lands before I found my way out of Hyrule Field. Where I was going didn't really matter- I just wanted to be away from that girl and the empty, hulking mass of Death Mountain.

Brambles rustled with the night's breeze, trees' buds dropped petals, sprinkling soft grasses with white and pink. An unlucky mouse squealed in the distance, caught by a fox. Guays and Kargarocs settled down in trees and massive nests, tucking in to await the sun's brilliance tainting the land with its warmth as they did every night. Stalhounds unearthed themselves, heading off in packs to hunt. The smart ones stayed in the ground, waiting for prey to come to _them_. Daylilies closed, shielding their pollen and nectar from the night's predators. A starving wolf howled somewhere in the forest.

Ordon, my old home, stretched before me, its huts and dwellings just dimming their lights, preparing for the long night ahead of them. Of course, they would sleep through it all. What sensible creature wouldn't? That statement placed me on the other side of things- oneof the either insane or nocturnal beings. I fell into the former category.

A Guay's crackling call sounded behind me. I stopped dead, unsheathing my sword and whirling around. Red eyes stared back at me as the bird tilted its head this way and that, taking a good look at me. It squawked again, fluffing its feathers. The white plumage adorning its chest ruffled most. I let the tip of my blade rest of the ground, my grip slack.

"Guhnam?" I asked, my voice sounding astonishingly shocked, the sight of the girl's companion unexpected. "What're you doing here?" It sat perched on the wooden arch marking the entrance to Ordon Village, _watching _me. I emphasize this because, contrary to Bulblins, Guays and Kargarocs are actually _extremely _intelligent. When they watch you, if you stare back, you can see the brilliance in their eyes. Had they hands, Hyrule would greatly benefit from their industrial help. Well… if they lacked malevolence.

Gingerly, it sat there. It didn't bother moving or responding.

Until Shade came galloping into the village, ears flattened in childish glee. That's when the Guay took off in a flurry of black feathers, startled. I didn't see him the rest of that night, choosing to rest on the edge of the pond in the village, my legs hanging over the edge, bare feet in the water (I'd laid my boots to the side, of course. Not like I _lost _them or anything. Just clarifying for all the dense people out there.), instead of searching for Guhnam. He could rot alongside his master for all I cared. Preferably somewhere cold and miserable, like the bottom of that chasm. What the mare had been doing, I didn't know. Nor did I care.

Shade snored beside me, listening to the world in her sleep. Every few moments, one ear would twist just right to catch a sound and end up hitting me in the face. I'd move, but she'd notice, wake up, and move accordingly. There would be no point, essentially.

I didn't bother fishing- it would be more likely to wake the slumbering villagers than anything, and that's the last thing I wanted. I hadn't traveled to Ordon for over two years for a _reason_. Ilia would strangle me for leaving them. Quite literally- that girl had the shortest of tempers, despite her placid demeanor. It was just an exoskeleton for the evil that lay within.

Sure, I used to have a crush on her. That, however, was before Twilight and Midna occurred. After I left, I found no time to return, and our friendship slowly faded to the back of my mind. I never really paid much thought to caring about people anymore. Shade had become my only companion after Epona died, severing my final link to Ordon and its residents. But she would press a pillow over my head whilst I slept if she ever found out, which was exactly why I'd been avoiding the peaceful village.

The light _click _of metal against metal startled me, waking Shade, who snorted in groggy frustration. It had just been the breeze tilting my sword against the shield below it, the former item perched precariously atop the latter, yet my heart sprung to life. It took me a long while to calm myself. Guhnam had never returned. I'd never wondered why he was out there in the first place, and wouldn't bother.

Crickets chirped softly in the tall grasses and flowers nearby. Silver moonlight danced on the lucid waters of the pond, illuminating fish as they swam dazedly, perplexed by night. There was little breeze that night. Shade shifted in her sleep, her giant, black head coming to rest in my lap as she dreamed, evidently disturbed by her visions. The moment she settled with her head in my lap, the young horse stilled, her dreams either fading or changing to pleasant ones. I smiled kindly at my little mare, love suddenly blooming in my chest.

Despite her evident kinks (rolling, not coming when called, disliking physical contact, ect), Shade really was a good horse-thing. Epona had been this way, too, once, when she was very young and naïve. She just didn't yet know how to behave. But perhaps she never would- horses and whatever Shade was were probably very different in temperament and personality, their likes and dislikes. I'd often found Shade sniffing at a dead Bulblin or Kargaroc with hungry eyes.

As light spilled over the placid forest and village below, the lakeshore of Ordon emptied itself, two figures standing and slipping away just as the inhabitants rose.

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

**I apologize for the painfully evident time lapse between posts- my life just got away from me. I didn't write after school started, and have only now gotten back into it. But I've improved a bit, ne?**

**As always, if I've made any spelling, grammatical, or otherwise errors, feel free to tell me!**

**And thank you so much to my three reviewers! It's much appreciated~**

**MidnightPixieGal: **Thanks so much for the fav, love~ As promised, much too late, a chapter. I hope you continue reading, even if the time between updates is slow and uneven. I look forward to hearing from you~

**CosplayerMew:** The girl does in fact play an important role in the story, but not yet. Patience is a virtue, you know.

**Bobbitt The Hobbit: **Here you go, then~ Once chappie closer to the end, ne? Can't believe I actually had nearly three pages in my computer just waiting to be added to. I try to get just over five pages per update, and this one is nearly five and a half~ Hope ya like it!


	3. Assignment

_Chapter no. :_ 3  
_Chapter title: Assignment_  
_Story rating:_ T (for now)  
_BETAed:_ Not BETAed - if anyone's willing, drop me a line  
_Disclaimer:_ Me no own Zelda. I mean, come on - how stupid are you? If I did own Zelda, it would contain much swearing, blood, sex and rock'n'roll. And Yaoi. Don't forget the luffly yaoi. But since I don't own it, I have to settle for entertaining you guys with my stories and OCs - which is fine by me.  
_Warnings: _Not any at the moment.  
_Notes: _I might be updating a bit slower than usual due to a new situation: I'm easily distractable, as I hope you know. If you didn't, well there you go! But back to the new situation: I've recently falling into a relationship, and Addy is very **very** good at distracting me. She'd wonderful, though. Maybe I'll force her to write something and give it to you as a bonus chappie. But yeah: in short, I have a girlfriend~  
___Totally irrelevant quote of the update:  
_**"****If life deals you lemons, make lemonade; if it deals you tomatoes, make Bloody Marys. But if it deals you a truckload of hand grenades...now THAT'S a message!**"

* * *

Surprisingly, Shade remained by my side for the rest of the day. I slept as she cantered in circles around me, probably bored. But what would I do aside sleep? There had been little activity since Twilight, and I wanted nothing to do with the girl on Lake Hylia's bridge. To add to it, I'd stayed up the previous night until the sun rose. Sleep was necessary, though Shade allowed me little of it, whinnying in my ear like a child surprising her older sister just for the heck of it. I eventually sent her off, though she refused to leave, instead trotting off and grazing. I don't recall much of that day, but when I woke, black feathers covered my vision. An annoying Guay squawked in my face, that amazingly creepy mailman shivering behind it.

Brushing the damned bird off, I sat up groggily. The mailman took the initiative to address me. "Letter for you, Mr. Link," he mumbled, extending one arm, an elegant, white parcel held in his thin, bone-like fingers. He saluted, standing stiff. "Have a nice day, Mr. Link." And he was off, gone with that strange jog of his. I've always felt like he was plotting something against me.

Discarding the mailman from my mind, I bit into the parcel, tugging on it, glad when the paper gave way. Calling Shade to my side, I opened the letter.

_Link,_

_I apologize for the eagerness of this letter, but I request that you come to my side immediately. Something is amiss in Hyrule, as I'm sure you've already figured out, and it needs to be stopped before another race vanishes._

_Best regards,_

_Zelda_

_P.S: Tell Shade I said 'hi'._

Ah, Zelda. Always so formal, up until she finds a friend. Inside, she really was just a teenager with her childhood stolen by royalty and her father's early death. Sometimes I felt bad for her, actually. Maybe she needed a break.

But for then, I had to get to her castle. Luckily, it wasn't far- Shade and I had located to Southern Hyrule Field as the sun rose, so we merely had to travel north and into Castle Town. Shade bumped my back with her nose, pushing me forward. After turning and glaring at the young horse until she flattened her ears, I mounted from the side.

My little mare snorted and took off with the slightest kick to her sides, turning the plains to liquid as we sped overtop them. Green blurred into green, flowers into new frost as Hyrule crept into Spring, slow to arrive. The whole world slowed as we traveled until birds spent days avoiding Shade, their twits of surprise echoing, ringing in my ears for a millennium.

I didn't even notice Castle Town looming ahead until Shade drew to a halt, snorting decisively. Taking a moment to gather my melted legs, pulling them from the stirrups, I slid off her back. Shade was certainly faster than Epona, seeing as I could hardly stand upon dismounting.

Allowing the midnight horse to her own devices as I ascended the roughly hewn steps leading into town, a Helmasaur watched me from afar, placid. The typically aggressive species of Hyrule had stilled, virtually friendly, once news of the Gorons' disappearance spread. Perhaps they were scared for themselves, for their own races, like I was for mine. Like Zelda was. If I had free time, I would visit the Zoras to assure them of their safety, though I knew not of it myself. For all I knew, they could be gone already.

The townspeople went about their days slightly faster than usual, fearful of whatever force had done away with the Gorons. Some carried baskets full of fruit, others toting small children or stray dogs. A pig-faced woman yelled at her child as he climbed the stone pillars holding up most of Castle Town's shop fronts. He blew a raspberry at her from above. That's why I like children- they show no fear in the face of imminent doom. They live their lives as though nothing can hold them back. I've learned a lot from them, because when you're a hero, your life could end at any moment and nobody would know.

A bright, cheerful whinny echoed from outside the town walls. Few looked up, but I was one of them. Even Shade reminded me of a child.

But I mustn't dawdle, and then was no exception. Setting my mind on the task at hand, however simple it may have been, I pushed through the throng of citizens and to the castle gate. Neither guard hesitated to let me pass- they knew who I was. Who didn't? Legendary Hero of Time, the one that can never be forgotten by others, nomatter how much he wants to? Yeah, that's me.

One soldier even bothered to salute as I passed him, a long line of Royal Guard members standing to attention, not getting my notice. Their formality grated on my nerves.

Roughly hewn rock brushed my boots as I approached the castle's entrance, pebbles clattering away when I accidentally kicked them.

The route was automatic, engraved into my mind like fighting was, like the blood spurting from that Bulblin's chest after he killed Epona… I would never forget that. I don't think I could if I tried, even though I'll never want to.

Sections of the castle, even after two years, were still being rebuilt. Zelda's library was one of them. To this day, I hate renovations and construction. Nomatter how you look at them, they're all the same- big and ugly.

Her throne room was the exact same as it had been when I fought Ganondorf. Upon entering, I tensed, ready to draw my sword against the massive boar. It took me a long moment to calm myself, to reassure myself that he was dead and gone. If I'd ever been scared of something, he was it.

Like any loyal subject, I knelt before Zelda, doing my best to ignore the fragrant scent she gave off, that coated everything in her presence with honey and chocolate. Odd, though, because she never ate chocolate. At least, to my knowledge.

Her voice rang like it always did; final, yet innocent. "Stand, Hero. You know how much I hate it when you kneel like some sort of peasant."

She's always held me much higher than anyone. Since morphed Twili killed the leader of the Royal Guard, her best friend, Zelda has adopted me as her favorite. Granted, I'm fond of her, but I try to avoid castles and cities like Castle Town.

As ordered, I stood, my stiff demeanor dropping to reveal my typical, carefree attitude. "And you know how much I hate titles," I quipped. "How many times have I told you to call me 'Link'?"

She gave a cheerful grin, rising from her throne. Childishly, she held out her arms widely. "I've missed you," she said, silently ordering me. As told, I came forth and hugged her, reveling in her scent. It gave me a sense of peace, just being around her. Zelda always knew how to brighten my day. Sadly, though, that time wasn't for socialization. She knew this as well as I did, and quickly released me. Both our smiles fell. "I apologize for calling you here only for such a depressing discussion, Link," she apologized, taking her place on her throne. I remained silent. "But, since you're here, the mailman has done his job well."

"He still creeps me out," I murmured, crossing my legs and taking a seat on the cold, stone floor.

Zelda laughed. "I feel the same, but he's a hard worker. But on a different note: you've probably already noticed the Gorons' disappearance. We need to figure out what caused their vanishing and stop it from targeting any other species. Losing even Keese could be devastating to the ecosystem."

I nodded. "Where should I start?"

She took a moment, evidently thinking hard. A tiny section of her lip pulled into her mouth, teeth working at it by force of habit. "Talk to the citizens of Kakariko and see if there was anything strange going on during the month before they vanished. Renardo would probably-"

I stood and turned at the sound of bare feet shifting against oriental rug. That girl and her birds bowed before Zelda. I wondered briefly why she was there before recalling that I didn't care.

The Princess seemed surprised to see her. They'd met, I knew, as Zelda showed signs of knowing exactly who she was. "I didn't expect you to join us," she said, recovering from her shock. "I never sent a letter requesting your assistance."

She nearly cut Zelda off, eyes hard. "_She_ wanted me to help the Hero and told me where I could find him." The first word was spat with such malice that I thought her hatred would burn a hole in the ozone all on its lonesome. But hatred for who?

"Well, I can't go against her will, then. Would you care to introduce yourself to Link?" Zelda appeared slightly irritated with the girl's presence.

Guhnam preened his feathers as she spoke. "We've met," she growled. Zelda lifted one brow, silently telling her to be more polite. Sighing, she turned to me. "I'm Shirin," she hissed, holding out one hand. "It's nice to meet you." Those words were so forced it made the hairs on my neck stand on end.

"Likewise," I stated, taking her hand in my own and shaking it. Her fingers were soft. She smelled of the sea and obsidian- a strange combination. After she pulled away from the handshake and set about fixing the feathers on her arrows, I turned to Zelda. "Do we _have_ to work together?" I pleaded. Shirin scoffed beside me. I could imagine her rolling her eyes in disgust. Well, as undesirable as her attitude was, at least she wasn't some Hero's fangirl. I still hate them, all except those three outside the Star Circus tent that squealed and gave me potion. I liked them quite a bit- three free life sources.

Zelda grinned, holding back one of her chiming laughs. "I'm afraid so. Her order rises above even my own." I sighed, ignoring the hateful growl that emanated from Shirin at my whine.

"To Kakariko, then," I groaned, much less sprightly and excited than before. This mood of mine was like a scientist trying to examine roadkill smeared twenty feet over the trail on a rainy day- impossible to read or recreate. The only emotion that radiated from me was disappointment and frustration. Both were true as I grabbed Shirin and drug her along, headed for Castle Town and my mount. She didn't protest much, keeping up until we pushed through the wooden doors that barred Castle Town from the world. That was when she yanked her wrist from my grip.

She turned away from me, giving a strange, cat-like call that echoed through the plains. Artag, who had vanished at some point during the meeting, dropped from the sky. Using a stirrup-like piece of a leather saddle made by her own hands that I hadn't noticed before, Shirin mounted Artag. "I'll meet you in Kakariko when the sun is at its zenith," she said, a sense of finality to her tone. With that, she clicked her tongue, the massive bird screeching and taking off.

Determined to beat her there, I kicked Shade as I hopped onto her back, sending the black horse into a full gallop. Fabric caught in my hand as I grabbed my hat when it went flying off, torn away by the wind.

Renardo watched me from one of the many windows lining his hut as I rode in, slowing Shade just before we hit the edge of the water. The name of the entity that guards that particular spring, however massive a sin it was and is, escapes me. I'm sure he'd be alright with it, though, seeing as I saved his spring and territory.

I took longer than expected to get to Kakariko, and the sun had passed the point chosen. Still, Shirin was nowhere to be found. Clouds obscured the sun as I lay there, unmoving, my cap in my hand, my hair soaking in the spring's water. Kakariko had warmed since I left earlier that morning, the added lava of Death Mountain taking its toll.

* * *

A harsh kick to my shin woke me; I yelped with the sudden pain. Propping myself up by my hands, I glared at the offender: Shirin. One hand on her hip, she glowered down at me, strong dislike clear in her eyes. Stars shone behind her, a full moon illuminating the sky. The world seemed to glow slightly, eerily. "The sun isn't at its zenith, Shirin," I growled. Her frown turned into a hooked grin.

"On the other side of the world, it is."

Oh, how I hated loopholes. Apparently, she adored them as well as the sight of my suffering; her soft snickers echoed off the rocky walls of Kakariko's canyon when I groaned in frustration.

But she offered a hand to help me up, which I took. Though I originally thought she would drop me at some point, she didn't, much to my surprise. Perhaps there was a heart amid that icy block she called a soul. Only when I was standing, though, did I notice her change in apparel. The only thing that remained the same was her choice of footwear. Or the lack of her choice of footwear- her feet remained bare. She'd traded the skirt for brown shorts that hardly covered her rear as well as a lighter brown, thick cloth that hung to her ankles on both sides. Intricate patterns consisting of sharp, jagged turns, swirls, and designs similar to those on the Fused Shadow pieces laced the bottom. It reminded me of a loincloth. Maybe that was the point. Her meager chest was covered by only a band of material the exact same color as the rest of her outfit. A pendant hung from her neck on a leather string. A glass sphere with what looked like fire burning inside. Since magic exists, I didn't question how it was possible. Possible or not, it could happen, especially in Hyrule.

"Stop staring," she growled, turning away. I did so, heat rising to my cheeks. I hadn't thought she would notice, but now that I think about it, archers have keen eyes and it was imminent that she would see. Before I could ask why she'd chosen night to start the investigation, she spoke: "Since there's more lava than usual, it'll heat the volcano and surrounding village. It's like a desert- we'll want to do this while the sun's heat isn't added to it. It'll make it a lot easier," she said. Why hadn't I thought of that?

Scowling, I trotted along behind her—_Goddesses_, she walked fast!—still unknowing of exactly what she had planned. "So are we going to go look at the volcano first, or-" She cut me off.

"Didn't you hear Zelda? We're going to talk to Renardo." She resumed walking, having stopped dead to yell at me. "And I thought you'd already rummaged through that bloody volcano. What's the point in doing it again, hm?"

She had an odd way of speaking, like a streetgoer thrown among nobles. I could easily tell she hadn't been born in Hyrule, that she wasn't Hylian. Her accent often slurred vowels and she had to repeat the word slowly in order for me to understand. It was a subtle accent, but there nonetheless. I could tell she tried to hide it.

The door to Renardo's hut creaked as she pushed it open, not even bothering to knock. Was she just rude, I wondered, or were she and the Shaman good enough friends that she could do without the pleasantries of socialization? "Oi, Renardo!" she called, bare feet kicking up what little dirt lay on the hut's floor. "We have a few questions for ya, love!" Good friends, then.

A head poked up from the hatch in the floor that lead to the basement. He'd probably been cleaning up a few of the items down there, sorting through what to get rid of and what to keep. "I thought you might," he said in that rough voice of his. He sounded tired. "First, Shirin," he continued, addressing my partner. She made a questioning sound at the front of her throat. "How is she treating you? Any better? Any worse?" The chair sighed as he seated himself, Shirin and I doing the same. Shirin sat on the floor, though, uncaring of the dirt.

"No better, but her temper's been out of whack lately and she's taking it out on me. Bloody whore should learn her place," she snarled. I _really_ wanted to know who this 'she' was. Nobody ever used her name, so I was left to wonder.

"I'm sorry to hear that. And you know she can hear you, especially since this is her land. Be careful of what you say, lest she summon you before she forgets." Shirin growled in the back of her throat, averting her eyes. "Now, then. What is it you want to know?"

This time, I spoke, twiddling my thumbs nervously. I didn't like this subject. "Zelda asked us to investigate the Gorons' disappearance. We were wondering if you noticed anything in the months prior to when they vanished." Shirin leaned her back against my seat, her head against my leg. I glanced down at her. Artag and Guhnam tapped at the door.

Renardo sighed sadly. I felt bad for him- he'd been particularly fond of the Gorons. "They were prospering, doing well," he said, tracing the wrinkles in his hand with his other thumb. "Then suddenly, there was an earthquake. We went to visit them the day after, only to find nothing there. It's as though they did something to anger the Goddesses." Shirin tensed beside me.

"They didn't- I'll tell ya that," she snarled, toying with an arrow. "They was minding their own business." That little verb confusion drew me to a conclusion- she'd definitely grown up on the streets, not in Hyrule or any of the nations surrounding. "But I don't know why they're gone or where they went. I could always ask her, but she's more likely to punish me than give me any information," she mumbled. I could hardly hear the last sentence. And though curiosity raged in the pit of my stomach, I refused to ask who 'she' was for fear of making Shirin hate me more than she already did. "Well, we had better be off, then, before another bloody race goes missing. Thanks for the info, Renny," she cooed, standing and turning.

Renardo sighed and grinned at the nickname. Odd- he rarely smiled. "I'm sorry I couldn't be much help. You might was to ask the Seer that lives at the top of that cliff-" here he pointed to a cliff rivaling the size of Death Mountain standing directly across from his house "-she might know more than I do."

Shirin nodded and stepped out the door. Artag instantly darted to her side, Guhnam perched on his shoulder. Petting the Kargaroc's plated beak, she mounted him and adjusted her feet in the tiny, metal stirrups. They didn't even move- they were probably used to allow the bird to fly easier more than steer. She stood on them, using a tap to the left side of Artag's neck to tell him to lift off. Thick reigns trailed from a headpiece that spiraled down his neck. She grinned at me and clicked her tongue. "I'll meet you at the top," she called before vanishing, leaving me to find the day-long trail to the cave. Shade snickered, taunting me, from her position lying in the spring. I sighed, my shoulders falling.

"I wish _you_ could fly," I muttered. Shade snorted, stood, and galloped away without even letting me take my comment back.

* * *

**Again, I'm sorry for the immense lapse in time between this and my previous update, but at least it's not four months, eh? And Christmas is coming up fast, so I thought I'd finish this for everyone as a gift. A lot of stories down't update around this time of year due to traveling for the holidays, but I never go anywhere, so you can always expect a chapter, even around Christmas. So long as I'm not feeling _too_ lazy, I'll be sure to get a chapter in per month. Maybe every two weeks or so, if you're lucky. (_Very_ lucky.)**

**As always, if I've made any spelling, grammatical, or otherwise errors, feel free to tell me!**

**Thank you oh so very much to my reviewers~**

**CosplayerMew: **Why do I feel like I've already responded to your review? Oh well. I'm glad you're excited- it makes me happy to know someone enjoys my writing~ I'm...uh... not quite sure what it is, but I'll be sure to name it eventually. I don't even know what it'll end up looking like. But that's planning ahead for you, eh? (No, I'm not Canadian.)

**Bobbitt The Hobbit:** I could've written more on this one, but I'm lazy and didn't want to keep you waiting, so meh. :P


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